Cape Town hit by surge in teen pregnancies

By Mark Ogagan

The City of Cape Town’s Health Department has raised alarm over the escalating number of teenage girls seeking their first antenatal visit, indicating a spike in teen pregnancies.

Authorities report that last year witnessed 632 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 visiting clinics for their first antenatal appointment, compared to 355 in the previous corresponding year.

The surge in teenage pregnancies is observed across all City Health districts. Patricia van der Ross, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Service and Health, expressed concern, noting a decrease in clinic visits for contraceptive services.

As part of Pregnancy Education Week and Condom and STI Awareness Week, a pregnancy awareness event was conducted in Wallacedene last week.

Van der Ross says the primary goal of the week is to reduce pregnancy-related complications and encourage clinic visits. However, she acknowledged the reality of teenage sexual activity and the evident rise in teen pregnancies, urging a proactive approach to address the issue.